Sunday, May 8, 2016

Chapter 26: The Walls Came Down (The Call, 1983)

There was a staircase leading up from the Cyclops Room...let's check it out.

Check yourself! You need the lamp and the egg (unless you already gave it to the Thief). Use the inventory command to see what you are carrying and then take accordingly.

>west

Strange Passage

>south

Cyclops Room

>up

[Treasure Room] This is a large room, whose north wall is solid granite. A number of discarded bags, which crumble at your touch, are scattered about on the floor. There is an exit down and what appears to be a newly created passage to the east.

Next is the list of whatever treasures the Thief has taken from you, you left behind or gave to him. This list will vary from game to game. The important thing is they are there, as well as a chalice you have not found elsewhere, and one very important addition:

The jewel-encrusted egg contains: a clockwork canary.

That's why we gave the egg to the Thief. He of nimble fingers possessed the abilities to open the egg and repair the canary.

If the egg and corresponding is canary are missing, something went amiss, i.e. you were greedy and did not give the egg to the Thief earlier in the game. In short, you are hosed. Start over and follow the directions.

Just kidding…you can give it to him now and things will work out.

You hear a scream of anguish as you violate the robber's hideaway. Using passages unknown to you, he rushes to its defense. The thief gestures mysteriously, and the treasures in the room suddenly vanish.

The thief may or may not strike at you. Don't sweat it, we're leaving.

>east

[Small Square Room] You are in a small square room, in the middle of which is a recently created hole through which you can barely discern the floor some ten feet below. It doesn't seem likely you could climb back up. There are exits to the west and south. There is a piece of paper on the ground here.

You can take the paper, but you can't read it. Go ahead, try it, I'm paid by the hour so I can wait.


In version 2.6A and 3.2B you can read the paper, which is a note from the Thief.  You will get to read it soon enough, and there is nothing useful on it, so it can wait.
read

>down

[Room in Puzzle] You are in a small square room bounded to the north and west with marble walls and to the east and south with sandstone walls. It appears the thief was correct.

We can do this, but...be very careful to follow these directions exactly. The solution requires some careful planning and perhaps even sketching on our part, but it is eminently solvable. Marble walls don't move, but sandstone ones do.

>push east wall.

The wall slides forward and you follow it. The architecture of this region is getting complex, so that further descriptions will be diagrams of the immediate vicinity in a 3x3 grid. The walls here are rock, but of two different types - sandstone and marble.

The game will give you what you need, only in a 3x3 grid. I can't wait all day, so here is the entire thing.

|MM MM MM MM MM MM MM MM|
|MM    SS       SS    MM|
|MM SS    MM    LS    MM|
|MM             MM    MM|
|MM SL       SD SS    MM|
|MM       SS          MM|
|MM MM ##          MM MM|
|MM MM MM MM MM MM MM MM|
 


Royal puzzle: Initial configuration
SS = Sandstone Wall
MM = Marble Wall
SD = Sandstone Wall with Depression
SL = Sandstone Wall with Ladder
LS = Sandstone Wall with Ladder
## = Steel Door in Marble Wall

The steel door is another way out of the puzzle, but you will forfeit the gold card that can be found under the sandstone wall with the depression. Much like the Bank or Volcano Gnomes, once you give the treasure away you won’t get it back.

>south

>sw

>push south wall

>east

>east

>push south wall

>north

>ne

>push south wall

Nestled inside the niche is an engraved gold card.


>read card

Taken. 


The paper is rather worn; although the writing is barely legible (the author probably had only a used pencil), it is a very elegant copperplate.

To Whom It May Concern:

   I regret to report that the rumors regarding treasure contained in the chamber to which this passage leads have no basis in fact. Should you nevertheless be sufficiently foolhardy to enter, it will be quite impossible for you to exit.

   Sincerely yours,

   The Thief 


Yes, this is what is written on the note from the Thief, not the gold card. While it is hard to believe, the code looks refers to the wrong object. Remember, it's not a bug, it's a feature!

Here is a look at the gold card for your use. Ain't I something?


 ___________________________________________________________
|                                                           |
|             FROBOZZ MAGIC SECURITY SYSTEMS                |
|    Door Pass                 Royal Zork Puzzle Museum     |
|                                                           |
|                     #632-988-496-XTHF                     |
|                                                           |
|                                                           |
|     USE OF THIS PASS BY UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS OR AFTER     |
|   EXPIRATION DATE WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE CONFISCATION   |
|                                                           |
|                                                           |
|                              (approved)                   |
|                              Will Weng                    |
|                               789 G.U.E.                  |
|                                                           |
|                                        Expires 792 G.U.E. |
|___________________________________________________________|

 

Will Weng was an American journalist and crossword puzzle constructor who served as crossword puzzle editor for New York Times from 1969-1977. These guys are a real hoot!

>push south wall

>east

>ne

>push west wall

>push west wall

>push west wall

>push west wall

>ne

>ne

>north

>push east wall

>sw

>south

>se

>ne

>north

>push west wall

>nw

>push south wall

>push south wall

>west

>nw

>nw

>push south wall

>se

>se

>se

>ne

>push west wall

>push west wall

>sw

>push north wall

>push north wall

>push north wall

>nw

>up

Small Square Room

With the help of the ladder, you exit the puzzle.


Woohoo! Unquestionably the most difficult puzzle in the game is now over!

>west

Treasure Room


>give card to thief

>down

Cyclops Room


>north

Strange Passage


>east

Living Room

>save

Saved.



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